1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to building structures; and, more particularly, to the capping or covering of a wall, parapet or the like for decorative or functional reasons.
2. Prior Art
The prior art teaches various means of capping walls or parapets extending above the level of a roof. When a coping member is placed on the top of a wall, it serves as a water barrier to prevent seepage of water into the wall and can include decorative panels to enhance the appearance of a building. Various means have been suggested for connecting the coping member to the top of the wall.
The prior art includes placing the coping member on the wall and then driving a nail with a neoprene washer through the coping member. The nail breaks the integrity of the coping member and creates a point for water seepage. The prior art also teaches the use of snap clips fastened to both sides of the wall by nails and having flanges extending outward from the wall. The coping member is formed to have recesses for engaging these outwardly protruding flanges and pressed down on the snap clips thus securing the coping member to the clips and, therefore, to the wall. Unfortunately, proper positioning of these snap clips to receive the coping member can be difficult and time consuming.
Construction of a wall having constant width with perfectly parallel vertical surfaces and horizontal surfaces meeting at right angles to form the top of the wall is difficult. Accordingly, when two separate snap clips are attached to the sides of the wall to receive the coping member, a significant degree of effort and skill is necessary to space and align the snap clips so that a proper snap fit with the coping member occurs. These are some of the difficulties in the installation of coping which this invention alleviates.